*Gridwise does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for information purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before filing your return.

Who would think, when it comes to your car you’d want to learn how to appreciate a thing like depreciation? That old adage about a car losing a certain percentage of its value the moment it leaves the lot is true, and on its face, that sounds bad. But unless you’re planning to resell your vehicle in the near future, you can use depreciation to your advantage.

How would you do that? The amount of depreciation your car racks up each year can be deducted from your taxable income and reduce the amount you owe on your tax return. In this post, we’ll explain this thoroughly, show you the best ways to calculate and claim depreciation on your vehicle, and help you reduce your taxes!

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Vehicle depreciation: What it is and why it matters to gig drivers

Your car is an asset. Surely you noticed how valuable it is when you went to pay for it! Fortunately, the IRS also recognizes it to be an asset. This can allow you to view that lost value as you drive off the lot in a totally different way.

How does car depreciation work for tax? You can subtract the value your vehicle loses over time from your taxable income! The more mileage and wear and tear a vehicle accrues, and the more it becomes outmoded by new technology, the greater the amount of depreciation you can deduct. This is a piece of information that, as a gig driver, you can learn to thrive on. Although your car is bound to depreciate faster than average, because you drive so much, you can at least get credit for it in the form of a hefty tax deduction.

The IRS allows drivers to spread the depreciation of their vehicles over a car’s “useful life,” or the amount of time it takes for a car to lose all of its original value. In general, the IRS allocates five years for most vehicles. You might be able to get more depreciation in less time, though, depending on the method you use.

Methods to minimize tax time madness

There are two ways to get your car depreciation tax calculator up and running, via different methods of accounting for the depreciation of your vehicle. The first method is the standard mileage deduction. 

What is the standard mileage deduction method?

Each year, and sometimes more often, the IRS sets a rate that corresponds to the amount you can deduct for every mile you drive while doing your driving gig. For 2023, the IRS standard mileage rate is 65.5¢ per mile. This rate bundles all the expenses you pay to operate your vehicle, from gas and registration to depreciation. If this is the first year you are using your car for business, the IRS wants you to use this method.

To use the standard mileage deduction, you will take the number of miles you drove for your gig, and any other mileage you accrued for your business, and multiply it by the standard mileage rate. Note that you must know the number of miles you drove for business and deduct only those miles. You can estimate the percentage of your total miles driven for business, but it’s far more accurate to use a mileage tracker, such as Gridwise.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that, since you have a “home office,” you can also deduct the miles you drive to and from your driving gig. This is not the same as commuting costs, which are not tax deductible. Tracking mileage becomes especially important here, because while your driving apps record the miles you drive while you are on a trip or delivery run, they don’t count the miles you drive to and from your home base to where you begin driving for the apps.

This can become quite costly. Let’s take just one day’s worth of numbers to illustrate how this might work. Say you drove 100 miles on your shift, but went 15 miles in each direction to travel to and from your home base. Based on the 2023 standard deduction rate, you would have $65.50 to deduct according to your apps. But unless you used an app such as Gridwise to track all the miles you traveled going to and from your shift, you would have missed $19.65 in additional deductions, representing your journey to and from home base, just for that one day!

The IRS standard deduction method is good for gig drivers because of the way it pays for the many miles rideshare and delivery drivers put on their cars. But do the IRS estimates equate to what it truly costs to operate a car for rideshare or delivery—or is there a better way?

What is the actual expense method?

If your driving gig is in its second year of business or later, you can opt to delineate the allowed actual expenses related to operating your vehicle for business, tally them up, and deduct them from your taxable income. You are discouraged from using this method until your second year. Even then, it’s worth calculating your deduction by the standard mileage method and the actual expense method to see which one puts you at a greater advantage.

Why use this method? If your mileage isn’t particularly high, such as if your driving gig is in a big city where you don’t drive very far, this method might save you more money. Also, if you only do rideshare or delivery driving on a very part time basis, you may benefit from using this way of calculating your vehicle-related tax deductions. 

Using this method, you need to track your expenses for

• fuel
• oil
• repairs
• ties
• insurance
• registration fees
• licenses
• depreciation (or lease payments, if your lease permits you to use the car for business)

As you can see, that’s a lot to keep track of. Fortunately, there’s Gridwise Tax Help powered by Keeper. Keeper helps you to categorize these costs, and even searches your bank transactions to identify deductible items you may have neglected to record. Keeper also lets you scan receipts, so you don’t have to worry about scrambling to find annoying little scraps of paper in your car’s console or glove box.

To use the actual expense method, you also have to determine what percentage of the mileage you accumulated over the course of the year was due to your driving gig. Then, after you total all the expenses, you use the percentage you determined to deduct just the portion of your car’s use that was dedicated to business.

Before you get that far, though, you’re going to have to know how to calculate and report vehicle depreciation.

“How do I claim car depreciation on tax returns?”

First things first: Determine the depreciable basis.

Before you begin to calculate the amount of depreciation you can deduct from your taxable income, you’ll need to determine the depreciable basis, or the total cost of your vehicle. This amounts to the cost of the vehicle plus taxes and fees paid at the time of purchase. For example, if you buy a vehicle for $17,000, and the taxes and fees were $2,500, the total depreciable basis would be $19,500.

Once again, you could only use the whole $19,500 if you used your vehicle for work all of the time. If you didn’t, you must calculate the percentage of use for business, and base your actual depreciable basis on that percentage of the total depreciable basis. This is where tracking your work mileage comes in. When you have an exact record of the precise number of miles you clocked for business use, you can easily calculate the right percentage.

Choose your depreciation calculation method.

There are two ways to calculate the depreciation of your vehicle. 

1. MACRS (Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System)

This system was put into place to encourage business owners to purchase more equipment. It permits you to deduct a larger portion of your vehicle’s value in the early years of ownership. You must use your vehicle for business 50% of the time or more to use MACRS. Also, to use this method, you will need a MACRS table like this one, provided by Keeper. 

Keeper’s blog post on this subject will give you step by step instructions and detailed explanations about car depreciation and MACRS. Before you file, make sure that the table you use is in line with current IRS regulations. This IRS publication describes how to depreciate property in detail. In addition to your vehicle, you may want to depreciate other items you use for business, such as your phone or computer.

2. Straight depreciation

This method of depreciation is easier to calculate and must be used if you use your vehicle for business less than 50% of the time. You simply take the depreciable basis of your vehicle, and divide it out over five years, which is the expected useful life of the asset. This article from Motley Fool describes this method and also gives step by step instructions.

Get the right forms.

IRS Form 4562 must be used to report depreciation on your vehicle and other equipment. The form may be filled online, or you can print it and complete it manually.

Note that if you’re depreciating an SUV, truck, or other heavy vehicle, different rules apply. These regulations, and other ways of taking deductions, are special case strategies.

Special case car depreciation tax deduction strategies

Section 179 of the IRS code allows for accelerated depreciation. To maximize your write-offs in the first year of using your vehicle, you can use this method by simply deducting the entire cost of the vehicle. This could be quite advantageous if you intend to use your car for only one year. It can also offer a boost to your take-home pay in your first year of business, giving you time to get your driving gig up to full speed.

Just like with MACRS, you must use your vehicle 50% or more of the time for business to qualify for accelerated depreciation under Section 179. For 2023, the maximum deduction allowed for a car is $10,200.

If you own an SUV or another vehicle weighing 6,000 pounds or more, the maximum deduction allowed under Section 179 beginning in 2023 is $26,200, and the 50% usage rule applies. If you purchase an even larger vehicle, weighing 14,000 pounds or more, or have a vehicle that is modified to seat just a driver with a cargo section, you may be able to deduct 100% of your vehicle’s cost in its first year. This article from Block Advisors provides further details.

Bonus depreciation is another incentive for business people to buy more equipment, and it can add to your deduction. Until recently, businesses used bonus depreciation rather than Section 179. Beginning in 2023, bonus depreciation amounts will get progressively lower, as this form of depreciation is phased out.

For 2023, however, you can still get a rather substantial first-year deduction by combining Section 179 and bonus depreciation.

If you’re curious about all the ways the IRS allows you to deduct from your income based on the business use of your vehicle, take a look at this IRS document. You can also learn more in this Gridwise post on how to choose your mileage deduction method.

Keep more of your money with expert help

Knowing what you can deduct, and how to do it, can really help you hold on to your hard-earned cash. As you can see, one of the things you’ll need to do is keep solid records of your mileage and expenses, so you will be able to document your claims when it comes time to take all those deductions.

Gridwise is the best mileage tracker for gig drivers, because it logs every mile you drive on every shift. All you need to do is start tracking when you begin driving, and Gridwise will do the rest.

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Gridwise Tax Help powered by Keeper is a service you can’t afford to be without. Designed just for gig drivers by tax experts, this powerful app not only tracks your expenses, it helps you to find them! 

Simply link Keeper to your bank account, and the app will search your transactions for items you can deduct. Remember, depreciation is only one thing you can subtract from your taxable income. You can also include items you might not have thought of, as listed on the Keeper blog. 

These include

• delivery equipment
• subscriptions to music services
• refreshments for passengers
• car washes and detailing
• productivity apps—like Gridwise!

Remember, Gridwise users receive 30% off the Keeper app, and Gridwise Plus users get 50% off! The winning combination of Gridwise and Keeper is sure to make it easier for you to keep more of your money, and after all, that’s why you do gig driving in the first place!

Download Gridwise and get Gridwise Tax Help powered by Keeper today!

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As soon as they find out you drive for Uber Eats, curious friends and family will want to know: “What’s the Uber Eats driver hourly rate?” There’s a lot to learn about what you can make as an Uber Eats driver. This post delivers the data you need to answer them and offers tips on how to make your hourly take with Uber Eats bigger than it already is.

Here’s how we’ll serve it all up:

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Uber Eats hourly earnings

The answer to the question of how much Uber Eats drivers make per hour is, “It depends on who you ask.” ZipRecruiter estimates that it’s around $18 per hour. Meanwhile, Indeed.com claims it’s more like $23. These figures are based on reports from people who say they’ve worked for Uber Eats, but how accurate are they? 

Gridwise has real data that reflects actual driver experience. Our drivers report Uber Eats hourly gross earnings ranging from roughly $13–$16. This includes base pay, tips, incentives, and bonuses. You can also get more data about what Uber Eats drivers make before tips.

And, just in case you’re wondering, most Uber Eats drivers can expect to see about $7 or $8 of their gross hourly pay as bonuses and tips. That’s a big proportion of the gross earnings, to be sure. This Delivery Driver Guide from Gridwise tells you how to get better tips with smart strategies. 

All these earnings numbers are based on nationwide reports, but actual earnings will vary from one region to another. In some places, earnings might even be below the minimum or above the maximum shown here. It’s worth examining regional differences to get a better feel for how much money you can make with Uber Eats in your particular locale.

It’s interesting, also, to take a look at Uber Eats Monthly Earnings.

Busiest (and best) times to drive for Uber Eats

If you’ve done any gig driving, you already know that there are certain times of the day and night that yield a better hourly rate than average. So if you want to make more than the run of the mill Uber Eats driver, you need to know when these times are.

Where would you get this information? Your Uber Eats app won’t really tell you more than where they want you to go to pick up and deliver orders. And because other drivers will be getting the same info from the Uber Eats app, you’re going to have a lot of competition.

Gridwise gives you a better way to find out when the busiest and best times to drive for Uber Eats are, with information that’s specific to your area. 

Get the Gridwise edge that will show you when the best times to deliver for Uber Eats actually are when you download the app. 

Tips for making more money with Uber Eats

Every driver wants to know how to make more money, right? Learn how much you might make, and use these tips that will help you get more from your Uber Eats gig:

Use Where to Drive from Gridwise. Optimize the time you spend on the road with insight that comes from drivers in real time.

Learn the art of multi-apping. During lulls in food deliveries, or when you simply feel like doing some rideshare driving, get in on the multi-apping game. Use more than one app, and answer the pings that make the most money for you. Get savvy to the process. Master the art of multi apping!

Track your mileage and other deductible expenses with Gridwise. Gridwise doesn’t just help you earn more money; it helps you keep more. Use the Gridwise app to track every mile you drive for your gig, including in-between delivery times. Record other expenses as well, and you’ll be all ready for tax time!

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Average Uber Eats hourly pay in key US cities

Demand for delivery drivers, as well as pay, varies from one place to the next. Scroll through this info from Uber to discover the cities and other areas that are in need of new drivers. 

How much will you make driving for Uber Eats in your area? Gridwise data give us a closer look at various earning levels among different cities and regions.

How much do Uber Eats drivers earn in NYC?

In the bustling streets of New York City, the demand for food delivery is as dynamic as the city itself. Uber Eats drivers in NYC find themselves navigating through traffic-laden avenues and tight alleyways to bring meals to customers. On average, these diligent drivers earn around $13.96 per hour. However, earnings can fluctuate based on several factors, including the time of day, the number of deliveries completed, and the presence of surge pricing during peak hours. Additionally, New York's high cost of living and operating expenses such as fuel and vehicle maintenance may impact overall take-home pay for Uber Eats drivers in the city.

How much do Uber Eats drivers earn in LA?

Los Angeles, known for its glitz, glamour, and sprawling metropolitan landscape, is also a hotbed for food delivery services. Uber Eats drivers in LA typically earn an average of $18.93 per hour, which is a reflection of the city's extensive marketplace and the high demand for delivery services. It's important to note that earnings in LA may be influenced by factors such as the specific area within the city, time spent in traffic, and the efficiency of route planning. Additionally, special promotions and events in LA may occasionally boost earning potential for drivers.

How much do Uber Eats drivers earn in Chicago?

Chicago, the Windy City, with its rich culinary scene, creates ample opportunities for Uber Eats drivers. On average, they earn approximately $14.05 per hour while delivering everything from deep-dish pizza to gourmet sandwiches. Earnings in Chicago may vary widely due to weather conditions, which can affect the number of orders and the ease of delivery. Additionally, Chicago's diverse neighborhoods offer different levels of demand, which can influence how much a driver makes on any given day.

How much do Uber Eats drivers earn in Dallas/Fort Worth?

In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, known for its barbecue and Tex-Mex cuisine, Uber Eats drivers play a key role in connecting residents with their favorite local eats. On average, drivers earn about $13.92 per hour. The sprawling nature of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex means that drivers may cover larger distances, which can impact earnings and expenses. Seasonal events and local sports games can also lead to surges in demand, presenting opportunities for drivers to increase their hourly take.

How much do Uber Eats drivers earn in Miami?

Miami's vibrant culture and bustling nightlife contribute to a steady stream of food delivery orders. Uber Eats drivers in Miami earn, on average, $12.05 per hour. Miami's tropical weather and year-round tourist influx mean that there can be consistent work for delivery drivers. Nonetheless, it's important for drivers to consider the cost of vehicle upkeep due to the city's humid climate and occasional severe weather, which can affect overall profitability.

In all these cities, it's essential for potential and current Uber Eats drivers to consider the whole picture: while average hourly earnings provide a snapshot, actual take-home pay will depend on individual strategies, the hours chosen to work, and local market conditions. It's also worth noting that these figures are before expenses and taxes, which drivers need to manage as independent contractors.

Get even more information about Uber Eats Earnings in this Gridwise Report.

Additional insight into Uber Eats earnings

Want to know more about Uber Eats earnings? Be sure to check out:

• What are Uber Eats Earnings like?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per day?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per delivery?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn before tips?

Getting tips from customers is a big part of working with Uber Eats. In this article, we’ll investigate just how large of a slice Uber Eats earnings are due to tips by seeing what Uber Eats earnings would be like without them. Learn more about Uber Eats earnings.

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Breaking down base pay before tips

What do Uber Eats earnings look like? EmpowerHustle.com reports the Uber Eats base pay rate is around $2.00. This rate might be higher if a variable such as distance, time, or demand exceeds what is “normal” for Uber Eats orders in your area. 

According to The Courier Network, Uber Eats’ app base pay calculations are made from the following factors:

• Picking up the order
• Dropping off the order
• The distance you must drive
• The estimated time it will take to execute the delivery
• Trip supplements for large orders, the need to shop, or demand for deliveries

The Courier Network article says that the range for base pay can be anywhere from $0.50 to upwards of $10.00, depending on where you’re driving, in addition to the factors listed above. What does Uber Eats pay look like?

Here is what Gridwise data tells us: 

Fortunately, there is more to Uber Eats pay before tips than just the base amount Uber pays for each order. Drivers benefit from bonuses and incentives such as Boosts and Quests. Boosts offer additional pay for driving at busy times. Quests reward drivers for completing a given number trips over a set number of days.

It’s interesting to compare earnings before tips with gross daily earnings.

What Uber does to inspire customers to tip

There’s no doubt that good tips keep Uber Eats drivers happy, and Uber itself does its best to make sure customers know how important it is to give good tips. Uber offers explanations of how the app encourages customer tipping.

Customers can tip

• when they place their orders
• at the time of delivery
• up to 30 days later through viewing order history

Customers should get the hint with all those chances to reward drivers for good service. Uber’s policy for reminding customers to tip has improved over time, and works rather well.

Tips: Average and median rates nationwide

One thing is certain: if you want to make the most out of driving for Uber Eats, you will want to know how much you can expect to draw down in tips. Business Insider offers suggestions about tipping delivery drivers. Their findings indicate that for most people, a tip in the amount of $4.00 is sufficient. 

Ask any delivery driver, and they’ll tell you that tips are a crucial part of their income. They would hope to do better than that. This is especially true for large orders and deliveries that involve inconveniences such as traffic or difficult access to the customer’s door. 

Tipping is very much a function of regional variants. People living in big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are used to tipping, so they’re likely to be generous. Others who are already noticing how much they’ve had to fork out for a delivery fee might not be so liberal with adding more to the cost of their meals.

Let’s see what data from Gridwise tells us about Uber Eats driver bonus pay and tips.

You may also be interested in learning how much Uber Eats drivers make per hour.

How to get bigger tips

Keep your Uber Eats rating high.  Customers pay attention to your Uber Eats driver rating. If it’s outstanding they’re likely to believe you deserve a big tip.

Use professional equipment. Customers can tip before, during, and after their delivery. If you carry their orders in bags and beverage holders that help maintain the items’ temperatures and prevent them from spilling, you stand a good chance of being tipped accordingly.

Read the Gridwise blog. The Gridwise blog has a wealth of articles designed to help delivery drivers do better, including details about what equipment you need and how to generally please your customers. This Delivery Driver’s Guide is a great way to start.

Become totally familiar with the Uber Eats app. Because communication is so crucial to the way your customers perceive you, always keep them up to date on your status. To do this right, you’ll need to learn how to use about the Uber Eats app.

Be customer service oriented. In a world where service levels seem to be in terminal decline, customers notice it when you go out of the way to please them. Pick up those extra straws and napkins, and follow their delivery directions to a T. Every delivery counts, when you consider your earnings figures by delivery.

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More insight into Uber Eats earnings

Check out these Gridwise articles to learn more about Uber Eats earnings:

• What does Uber Eats pay look like? 
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per day?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per delivery?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per hour?

Delivering for Uber Eats can be rewarding, but you have to make the most of each and every delivery. To do that, it’s wise to know how much Uber Eats drivers can expect to earn for each order they pick up and drop off for their customers. So How much do Uber Eats drivers make? 

Here, we tell you how much Uber Eats drivers make per delivery and provide real data from actual Gridwise drivers. Here’s what you’ll discover:

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Base pay ranges for Uber Eats

Route4Me gives a 2022 figure of $9.37 per request but notes that it’s difficult to nail down the average pay per delivery for Uber Eats. This is due to the way Uber Eats pay is calculated, as well as differences owing to geographic location. You can get some insight by taking a look at earnings per day. In different regions, pickup and drop-off rates vary, and so do the prices people pay for restaurant foods. 

According to The Courier Network, Uber Eats’ app base pay calculations are derived from the following factors: 

• Picking up the order

• Dropping off the order
• The distance you must drive
• The estimated time it will take to execute the delivery
• Trip supplements for large orders, the need to shop, or demand for deliveries

The range for base pay can be anywhere from $0.50 to upwards of $10.00, depending on these factors. This base pay data from Gridwise drivers shows the average “before tips” figure per delivery.

How much Uber Eats drivers make per delivery

There is more than just base pay that goes into an Uber Eats delivery. Tips are a large part of driver earnings; plus surge pricing and boosts can add on the per delivery earnings. The Uber website provides a breakdown and explains the components of Uber Eats driver pay. Gridwise also has data that tell you how much Uber Eats drivers make overall.

While we can speculate how much drivers make per delivery, based on these and other factors, Gridwise has true and accurate data from actual drivers that will give you a much clearer picture. Here is what Gridwise data tells us drivers are making per delivery.

You’ll also want to consider Uber Eats earnings per hour.

Tips for making the most out of each delivery

Making the most money per day as possible while driving for Uber Eats is easy, if you create a strategy that works for you. Heer are some tips:

Use When to Drive from Gridwise. Don’t waste time driving around waiting for pings on your Uber Eats app. Get deeper and more personalized insight about Uber Eats deliveries in your area.  

Switch services when business is slow. Be flexible. When Uber Eats is slow, you can work with other apps. Multi-apping is sure to keep your cash flow going, and keep your cash flow going.

Strive to get more tips. Tips are a big part of Uber Eats driver earnings, and you need to put in the effort to earn them. This Gridwise blog post offers ideas for getting bigger tips on every delivery you make.

Track and record deductible expenses. Track your miles and record your expenses with Gridwise, and you’ll keep more of your money at tax time. The Uber Eats app doesn’t cover every deductible mile, but Gridwise will do that for you—automatically! Download the Gridwise app and avoid overpaying when tax time comes around.

It just takes a little research to discover-how to be a good delivery driver. Start by finding out how much, on average, Uber drivers can make. If you use extra strategy and skills, you could make $1000 a week delivering for Uber Eats.

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More Uber Eats earnings insights

Find out more about Uber Eats earnings:

• What does Uber Eats pay look like?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per day?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn before tips?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per hour?

Do you deliver for Uber Eats? Are you thinking about it? If so, then you need to know just how much Uber Eats drivers make. When it comes to getting this information, there are probably as many opinions as there are drivers, but what are the facts? This Gridwise Earnings Report for Uber Eats is based on actual data from real drivers.

We’ve gathered up all the goods on Uber Eats earnings, and no matter how you want to slice it, you’ll get what you’re looking for right here from the Gridwise blog. Check out our charts, and get more details about hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and tip pay from individual articles.

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Gridwise data for Uber Eats hourly earnings reflect average gross earnings, as reported by drivers nationwide. This is an important figure to look at, because it provides a fair and generic picture of what a driver can expect to make per hour, no matter how many hours are spent delivering.

Uber Eats hourly Earnings by quarter

Get more detailed information about Uber Eats hourly earnings.

Remember, when you look at these figures for weekly earnings, that they will vary based on how many hours a driver works in a week. With some drivers being more full time than others, we won’t see the maximum amount of earnings possible. The more you work, as you know, the more you’ll earn. 

Uber Eats weekly earnings by quarter

Like the weekly figures, monthly earnings numbers don’t necessarily reflect what a full-time driver would make delivering for Uber Eats. You will make more money, obviously, when you put in more hours.

Uber Eats monthly earnings by quarter

How much can Uber Eats drivers realistically expect to earn per month, and why? Read this article about monthly Uber Eats earnings for all the details.

Bonus pay and tips make up a rather large portion of Uber Eats earnings. Here you an see the average amount of bonus pay and tips that were earned by the month and by the hour. 

Uber Eats average nationwide bonus pay + tips per month by quarter

Uber Eats average nationwide bonus pay + tips per hour by quarter

The impact of bonus pay and tips is clear when we consider Uber Eats pay before tips.

Maximize Your Earnings: The Gridwise Advantage for Uber Eats Drivers

As an Uber Eats driver, you know that every delivery, every mile, and every minute counts. That's why it's crucial to have the right tools in your arsenal to ensure you're not just working hard, but also working smart. Enter Gridwise – your ultimate gig-driving companion. With exclusive insights and real driver data at your fingertips, Gridwise doesn't just paint a generic picture; it offers a personalized roadmap to maximizing your earnings.

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More Uber Eats Earnings Insights

Find out more about Uber Eats earnings:

• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per hour?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per day?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per delivery?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn before tips?
• Download Gridwise

Many Uber drivers judge their performance in the new year based on milestones. How much do they earn in the first week of January? How much do they earn in the first month? What is their hourly rate? How much do they make per trip? 

They also look for new answers. Every savvy gig driver wants to know how to make more money on Uber. The first thing you can do is download the Gridwise app. We’ll discuss it later, but you should do it now. You can also check out a recent Gridwise blog post, How Much Do Uber Drivers Make in 2023? 

This piece provides you with the most up-to-date figures on how much does Uber pay. 

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How much does Uber pay?

We have discussed previously that in 2023 Uber drivers experienced a decrease in pay overall. This graph backs it up. There are many reasons this decrease happened, but there are two that stand out.

BusinessInsider.com reported that the total number of Uber drivers ballooned to more than 5 million in 2022, an increase of 31%. This increase in drivers translates into two things:

• a smaller piece of the pie. More drivers are competing for the same passengers. 
• a decrease in average earnings. Newer Uber drivers earn less owing to the time it takes to learn the strategies and techniques used by more experienced drivers. 

As a result, by Q3 2023 Uber driver earnings dropped more than $100 per week from Q1 2022. Keep in mind that these numbers represent a combination of the earnings of part-time and full-time drivers. 

How to make more money on Uber 

But despite this earnings decrease, some Uber drivers make much more. How do they make more money on Uber? They’ve developed strategies and tactics that allow them to find the most profitable rides. They’ve also learned the secrets to 5-star service that results in generous tips. 

What are these tactics? Let’s look at some of the most popular and profitable secrets for how to make more money on Uber.

Always have a passenger

An empty car makes no money. You should always plan to have a passenger in the back seat. Take the example of many full-time Uber drivers who go into the city on weekdays and work the profitable morning rush hour. They get up early with the goal of catching an airport ride that pays their way into the metro area. From there, a few runs to area hotels, and then another airport pickup takes them into the downtown area. Repeating this routine every morning will help you reach the $100 mark on your Uber app as early as possible. Use the Gridwise When to Drive feature to increase your chances of always having a passenger

Learn how to work the surges

When passenger demand exceeds the number of Uber drivers available, Uber implements surge pricing. Uber driver fees increase by a multiplier. Surges are represented on your Uber app by a heat overlay, starting with orange and getting darker as the demand intensifies. The greater the demand, the darker the cloud and the greater the multiplier. If you’ve been an Uber driver for any length of time, you learn to predict when and where the surges will happen. Popular surge times are morning and evening rush hours, when the bars close at night, and special events. You can often double your fare during a surge, and sometimes more. 

Don’t chase surges

Surges are transitory. As soon as inexperienced Uber drivers see the orange and red clouds gathering on the app screen, they head for that area. It takes only a few minutes for the passenger–driver imbalance to correct itself, and the surge, and the price increases that came with it, disappear. 

A better tactic is to note where and when you see surges and position yourself to take advantage of them when they happen. Ideally, when you turn on your app, you want to be right in the middle of a red cloud. Read this Gridwise article about chasing surges. It’s dated, and some of the things have changed, but the overall philosophy remains sound. 

Drive during the busy hours 

Busy times vary, depending on the region, but ride demand is often the greatest during morning and evening rush hours, Friday and Saturday evenings, and during events. If your region has a theater and performing arts district, know when performances are letting out. Those weekend matinee shows can be ride generators. The same goes for sporting events and concerts. Surges are most likely to happen during these busy periods. 

The Gridwise app includes two invaluable features, Where to Drive and When to Drive, which can give you directions to spots where there are plenty of rides. You can see these features when you download the Gridwise app now for free. 

Look at the numbers

More than 500,000 gig drivers have downloaded the Gridwise app. In addition to the invaluable services featured on the app, Gridwise aggregates and anonymizes the numbers to show what drivers are earning by the hour, by the trip, by the week, and by the month. Some drivers go as far as downloading the files into an Excel spreadsheet for better analysis. They can see how many hours they worked and how many miles they drove. By comparing your numbers to those on Gridwise, you can see when you’re ahead of the curve. 

Be choosy about the rides you take

There is a strategy among Uber drivers in which they concentrate on quality rides over quantity. This is much easier now that Uber has gone to up-front fares, showing drivers how much they will earn on a specific ride and their destination. Armed with that knowledge, drivers often pass on a ride when the destination takes them someplace where, when they drop off their passenger, they know from previous experience they will have to drive some distance before they get another ride. This strategy has also become more popular now that Uber (and Lyft as well) have relaxed their ride acceptance requirements.  

Driver education opportunities 

The internet is full of opportunities for Uber drivers to learn about how to make more money. The Gridwise blog is a source of driver tricks and tactics, gleaned from the top Uber drivers. There is lots of information out there. Pick the best ideas, the ones most applicable to your market and driving style, and start earning more money. 

Try Uber Eats 

One of the nice things about being an Uber driver is that you automatically qualify as a driver for Uber Eats. There are time slots when Uber Eats might earn more than driving Uber rideshare. It’s worth a try to see if your market is one of those areas. Discover the interesting possibilities in this recent Gridwise blog post, How to Make $1000 a Week with Uber Eats. 

Learn to multi-app

There are many drivers that work more than one platform at a time, a practice referred to as multi-apping. This allows you to get rides from Uber and Lyft. Many drivers also venture into food delivery. Check out a recent Gridwise blog post, The Art of Multi-apping: How-Tos and Strategies for Gig Drivers.

Investigate the other gig platforms

Your goal is to maximize your time behind the wheel. It doesn’t make sense to have the Uber platform open when you could make more money working on Amazon Flex (How to Make $1,000 a Week with Amazon Flex) or Roadie (The Ultimate Guide to Being a Roadie Driver). 

Pay attention to mileage and expenses

The miles you put on your car are the single biggest source of tax write-off. The standard mileage deduction allowed by the IRS (as of 2023) is 65.5 cents per mile. If you put 30,000 miles a year on your car as a full-time Uber driver (not an unrealistic number), that translates to a tax deduction of $19,650! Any supplies you buy—water, gum, a flashlight—are tax deductible, too. The Gridwise app includes the best mileage tracker for Uber drivers and also an expense tracker. These tools will save you lots of money and lots of time when you do your taxes. 

Work those tips 

Tips as an Uber driver can be as much as 11% to 14% of your income, according to Gridwise Analytics, so it’s always good practice to do the things that compel your passengers to give a little extra. Here is a quick list of the things drivers can do to earn tips.

• Keep your car clean, inside and out. Passengers may not comment on your shiny car, but they will take note of those empty water bottles rolling around the floorboard. 
• Dress nicely. It shows you respect your passengers.
• Open and close car doors for your passengers whenever possible. 
• Have a great selection of music. Jazz and big band are always appreciated, even by the young kids. 
• Carry charging cords for both iPhone and Android phones. Carry a few extra, too, as they have a habit of growing legs and walking off.
• Have a supply of gum and breath mints on hand.
• Have bottles of water available. 
• Although you will seldom get a request, when someone needs a toothpick, they are forever grateful. The ones individually wrapped in cellophane are the best. 
• If you know the area where you’re driving, have the names of a couple of good restaurants at the ready.  
• Be a good conversationalist. HINT: People like it when someone listens to them. 
• If it’s after sunset and you’re a male driver, let women passengers know that you’ll watch them get safely inside. This almost always gets a tip. 

There’s a lot more you can do to earn tips, but most of it comes down to common sense and being a nice person. For more detail on the suggestions mentioned here, read this recent Gridwise blog post, 12 Ways Rideshare Drivers Can Earn More Tips.

How can Uber drivers use Gridwise to earn more?

One of the most important tips is to download the free Gridwise app and link it to all your gig-driving platforms. The Gridwise app tracks your earnings, allowing you to see trends and patterns that can pay off with more earnings. Gridwise also has the latest information on business at the airports, concerts, and other special events. 

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Check out these Gridwise articles to learn more about Uber driver earnings:

• How Much Do Uber Drivers Make in 2023? 
• Increase Your Earnings in 2023: How to Make $1,000 per Week with Uber
• How Much Do Uber Drivers Make in 2023?
• 11 Tax Deduction FAQs for Gig Drivers
• Contact Us

As an Uber Eats driver, you're part of the bustling gig economy, delivering satisfaction one meal at a time. Yet, in the hustle of zipping from restaurants to doorsteps, you might wonder how you can earn more, work smarter, and turn each delivery into an opportunity for greater profit. The first thing you can do is download the Gridwise app. From tracking your mileage and expenses to tracking your earnings, Gridwise is the best friend of every Uber Eats driver.  

The truth is, you're not alone in this quest for efficiency and increased earnings. Whether you're a seasoned delivery pro or new to the scene, there's always that lingering question: "Am I making the most out of my time on the road?"

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What is it like to work for Uber Eats?

Working for Uber Eats can be a no-brainer for many gig drivers. First of all, there are fewer hoops to jump through when starting. If you qualify as an Uber rideshare driver, you automatically qualify as an Uber Eats driver. You might also discover that Uber Eats is your market's dominant food delivery service (more about that later).

Gridwise also recently published a blog post, 2023 Uber Eats Earnings Report. It contains facts, and information that every Uber Eats driver needs to know. 

How much do Uber Eats drivers earn?

To better understand Uber Eats earnings, check out this recent Gridwise blog post, How Much Do Uber Drivers Make?

Understand the breakdown of Uber Eats driver base pay

According to the Uber website, Uber Eats driver base pay depends on several factors. 

1. Base amount

Uber Eats calculates the base amount using estimated delivery time, distance, and multiple drop-offs if the trip requires them. There are also fluctuations in price according to supply and demand in any given area. 

2. Trip supplement

A trip supplement might be added to the base amount if there is a great deal of traffic or unusually long wait times expected at the restaurant. Uber Eats also adds supplements when there is a limited availability of drivers in an area. 

3. Promotions

These come in the form of surges and Uber Quest promotions. Uber Quest is a bonus for completing a designated number of rides within a specified time frame. An example might be a $20 bonus for eight deliveries in a five-hour period. 

Understanding the changing food delivery market

Remember when we mentioned earlier that we would discuss one of the reasons for the decline in hourly pay for Uber Eats drivers? We are now having that discussion. 

Ghost kitchens started popping up in major markets before the pandemic. Ghost kitchens are food preparation kitchens that cater to the delivery-only market. They have no area for dining. They exist in several forms, including kitchens set up in industrial parks or clusters of kitchens (as many as 20 to 30 or even more, conducting business in modified warehouses or other buildings). 

Some traditional restaurants prepare ghost kitchen brands in their kitchens, with the second brand being for delivery only. Applebee’s and Chuck E. Cheese are just a few of the brands that have been doing this. 

You will also hear ghost kitchens called virtual kitchens or dark kitchens. 

Existing prior to the pandemic, these kitchens became part of the growing surge in delivery-only orders that blossomed during lockdowns. Drivers in markets with a strong ghost kitchen presence did quite well. Gridwise has mentioned them several times as part of the evolving food scene. 

Most recently though, the ghost kitchen market has shown signs of problems, as chronicled in TheTakeout.com. Travis Kalanick, the cofounder of Uber who has since left the rideshare leader, went on to found City Storage Systems (CSS). This past November, Kalanick acknowledged that they were laying off employees. According to an article in Friday Takeaway, problems included high customer churn, software issues, and customers generally preferring a brick-and-mortar restaurant, even for takeout. 

An article on CNN.com stated:

Consumers prefer ordering from brick-and-mortar restaurants, the National Restaurant Association found in a survey this year, with 70% of diners saying it’s important for their food to come from a publicly accessible, physical location.

Not all restaurant leaders and industry observers believe the ghost kitchen sector will collapse. This decline might be little more than an adjustment in an oversaturated market. If you're an Uber Eats driver who relies on ghost kitchens for business, you might see a downturn. Only time will tell. 

How to make more money on Uber Eats

There is still a market for Uber Eats drivers, but the ones who will prosper are those who have developed a strategy or a set of guidelines that help them realize maximum earnings. We’ve included ten such strategies to help you boost your earnings. 

1. Know when to drive Uber delivery

Food delivery has its hours. Orders cluster around the lunch hour from 11:30 am to about 2:00 pm and from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Weekends can be busier, especially around sporting events. Uber Eats drivers will receive fewer orders during off hours. 

2. Know when to multi-app

One solution is to multi-app, wherein you work simultaneously with two or more apps. You can either deliver on several food delivery platforms or work as a rideshare driver for Uber or Lyft. Check out a Gridwise blog post that discusses the intricacies of multi-apping, The Art of Multi-apping: How-Tos and Strategies for Gig Drivers. 

3. Know if you're in an Uber Eats market

Uber Eats has a solid hold on the US’s #2 spot in the food delivery market, with a 24% market share. But Uber Eats is dwarfed by DoorDash, which has a 65% market share, according to Bloomberg’s Second Measure. Still, the food delivery market is competitive, and the #1 spot varies from city to city. According to a 2021 report by McKinsey & Company, Ordering in: The Rapid Evolution of Food Delivery, Uber Eats dominates with a greater than 50% market share in Houston, San Jose, San Antonio, and Philadelphia. It’s worth noting that this report is two years old. Things might have changed since then in the ever-shifting world of food delivery. 

4. Know when to pass on an order on your Uber Eats driver app

The most successful Uber Eats drivers look for orders that pay a base fee minimum of a dollar a mile. Some even push it to two dollars a mile. That’s what they need to make their target earnings. Many drivers also look at the destination. It might appear like a good order, but it might not be worth it if the customer's destination takes you away from the action. 

5. Watch the promotions page on your Uber Eats driver app

Have you been offered an Uber Quest, or a bonus for finishing a set amount of Uber Eats deliveries within a specified time? These appear on the Promotions page of your Uber Eats driver app. Many drivers look for these as a way to earn extra money. Uber Quests also come by email or SMS. 

6. Drive during surges

You know your market area and when demand surpasses the supply of drivers. Position yourself to take advantage of this. Surges can boost your earnings. They are transitory, though. You don’t want to go chasing them. Position yourself where you know, from experience, that a surge will likely appear. That’s the best way. Check out the When to Drive and Where to Drive features on the Gridwise app for information on where a surge might occur.

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7. Have an extra thermal bag or two

Sometimes Uber Eats will double up on orders for you, or you decide to push the multi-apping envelope and simultaneously deliver for two different platforms. Either way, if you only have one thermal bag, at least one order is left out in the cold (yes, that was a joke. Har!). Carry one or two extra. 

8. Know your restaurants

Some restaurants need to be better managed for Uber delivery takeout. Orders are chronically late, must be corrected, or the food is cold. Whatever the case, it’s a waste of your time and energy. You’re better off going to restaurants where they know and like you. 

9. Consider a bicycle or scooter instead of a car

In densely populated inner city areas, some drivers are much more successful on two wheels, whether by bicycle or scooter. You instantly rid yourself of most traffic and parking problems. Uber delivery has a dedicated page for bicycle deliveries. You can often accomplish more deliveries per hour with a bike or scooter, driving up your hourly earnings. Check out the Gridwise blog post, The Ultimate Guide to Gigs You Can Do on a Bicycle or Scooter. 

10. Work those tips

Tips can make up half your pay as an Uber Eats driver, as discussed in a previous Gridwise post, How to Make $1,000 a Week with Uber Eats. Prompt deliveries, a courteous demeanor, a winning smile, and extra packets of condiments make all the difference in tips. 

Take advantage of everything you can from the Gridwise app

The Gridwise app can instantly tell you your earnings for each platform you drive 

Gridwise is the best companion app for Uber Eats drivers. There are valuable tools such as the Gridwise Mileage Tracker and the Gridwise Expense Tracker. These two features alone can save you thousands at tax time with more accurate deductions. The Gridwise Earnings Tracker tracks your earnings from all the platforms you drive and breaks down your income, providing a clearer picture of where your best earnings originate. 

Download the Gridwise app today and earn more as an Uber Eats driver. 

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Get more Uber Eats driver earnings insights from Gridwise

Check out these Gridwise articles to learn more about Uber Eats earnings:

• Download the Gridwise app today
• What does Uber Eats pay look like?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per day?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn before tips?
• How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per hour?
• How to make $1000 a week with Uber Eats
• Delivery Driver Guide: Using the Uber Eats app

Delivery drivers are already inundated with options, but new platforms keep popping up with big promises. 

Roadie and Curri are two newcomers to package delivery that have gained momentum in recent years. While more options for drivers is generally a good thing, it can also lead to a big question: What is the best delivery option for drivers? 

This article focuses on the Roadie delivery service. We’ll help you understand what it is, how it works, how much drivers can earn, its advantages and disadvantages, and whether it’s worth your time.

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What is Roadie?

Roadie describes itself as a crowdsourced “on-the-way” delivery platform that matches drivers with delivery gigs on routes they are already traveling or plan to travel. That sounds great on paper (or rather, on a screen), but how does it work in practice?

The Roadie app connects drivers with senders to make deliveries happen. Senders create delivery gigs that are sent as alerts to nearby Roadie app drivers. Drivers can look at the gigs and submit offers for those they find worthwhile, ideally those that align with their routes and schedule. 

This is different from other package delivery services that require drivers to book a slot in advance, pick up shipments, and deliver as directed without any control over routes.

Roadie is primarily used for same-day, on-demand, or scheduled local deliveries. It is used by businesses as well as private individuals to send items. Brands such as Home Depot, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Verizon, Walmart, Best Buy, Delta Air Lines, Tractor Supply Co., and other recognizable names use Roadie to varying degrees for their first-mile and last-mile deliveries.

Launched in 2014, Roadie has seen growth in recent years, particularly during the pandemic. The company claims to have over 200,000 registered drivers and coverage in more than 20,000+ zip codes nationwide, reaching 90 percent of US households. During the last quarter of 2021, Roadie was acquired by UPS.

What are the requirements to be a Roadie driver?

Now that you know how the Roadie app works, let’s look at the requirements and process to become a driver on Roadie. Anyone can sign-up to become a verified Roadie driver as long as you:

1. Have a vehicle with valid auto insurance;
2. Are at least 18 years old;
3. Have a Social Security number;
4. Have a valid US driver’s license.

If you meet these criteria, you can fill out an online application on Roadie’s website or mobile app to become a Roadie driver. 

Since Roadie is a parcel delivery service, it has various driver certifications to match drivers and their vehicles with the appropriate gigs. Available Roadie certifications include Trusted Driver, Cargo Trailer, Extra Equipped, and TSA Certification. 

Each of these certifications has separate eligibility requirements based on the number of completed deliveries, vehicle type and size, extra equipment for loading and unloading, etc.

What are the responsibilities of a Roadie driver?

As a Roadie driver, when you are selected for a gig, you’re expected to pick up and deliver the shipment on time, have friendly communication with both the sender and the receiver when needed, and maintain a minimum four-star rating from senders for completed gigs.

How much do Roadie drivers make?

Roadie claims drivers can make an average of $15 per trip for local deliveries (with most gigs paying between $8 and $50) and up to $650 on long trips carrying oversized items. 

But do these claims match reality? Not really, at least according to our 2021 earnings data collected from over 200,000 Gridwise drivers.

Roadie driver earnings per trip

The median earnings per Roadie trip ranged from $12.82 to $15.11 in 2021, which is lower than the advertised average earnings by ~$1.25 per trip. The shortfall looks even worse when you consider the fact that our data includes earnings from supposedly high-paying long trips as well. 

Roadie driver earnings per hour

The median earnings per work hour, meanwhile, ranged from $13.93 to $17.49 in 2021, which is again on the lower side compared to Roadie’s competitors. In January 2022, the per-trip and per-hour median earnings were $13.87 and $15.52, respectively.

We recently published an in-depth article about drivers’ 2021 earnings across different services, including Roadie. According to our analysis, in 2021 Roadie drivers made less money than drivers for other package delivery services such as Amazon Flex and Curri.

It’s worth pointing out that Roadie does things a little differently from the other package delivery services. Curri deals with oversized construction items, while Amazon Flex doesn’t offer the kind of flexibility drivers enjoy on Roadie. Because of this, earnings on Roadie are not directly comparable to those from Amazon Flex or Curri.

Also, like all other platforms, earnings on Roadie are notoriously dependent on your location. For example, Roadie claims its drivers in Pittsburgh make on average $39 per hour, which is 2.6 times the national average.

Expenses for Roadie drivers

Roadie drivers have to cover all the fuel, maintenance, and other vehicle-related expenses. However, any toll and parking charges incurred while on an active delivery will be reimbursed by Roadie after verification of receipts.

How do Roadie drivers get paid?

Roadie pays weekly via direct deposit on Tuesdays. (Note: it may take one to three business days for the money to be available in your account.) Roadie drivers are automatically enrolled for weekly payouts unless they specifically opt for Instant Pay.

Instant Pay allows delivery and rideshare drivers to cash out instantly at any time. Roadie drivers qualify for Instant Pay when they complete at least five deliveries. Eligible drivers will see a message in the app telling them how to enable the feature.

Is being a Roadie driver worth it?

All of this analysis brings us to the most important question of this exercise: Is it worth driving for Roadie? 

Yes – as long as you think of it as an on-the-way delivery service to either make some extra income or to recoup your gas and travel costs. Here’s what Gridwise recommends:

• The central idea behind Roadie is, why not make a few deliveries along travel routes to make some money? These gigs can bring down your operational costs for delivery and improve profitability.
• Roadie is better suited as an intermittent side hustle rather than a full-time income. If you are considering delivery jobs as a full-time occupation, then Roadie probably is not your best option. Other package delivery platforms offer better and more reliable pay.
• You can drive for Roadie in conjunction with your other jobs. The more travel your primary job involves, the higher the income you can make from Roadie. Since the platform offers a high degree of flexibility to drivers, you can likely do it alongside your primary job.
• Roadie doesn’t ask you to book a slot or mark yourself as online to get gig offers. It’s passive by design; you can choose to use it only when you find gigs that fit into your routes and schedule. There is no commitment or downside to registering as a Roadie driver.
• Roadie learns with use. Roadie says the app will become smarter and more personalized as you use it more. This should result in more gigs that match your preferences over time.

Make more money as a Roadie driver

You can improve your earnings on the app by following a few proven tips. These suggestions may not immediately increase your earnings, but they add up over time without demanding much from you.

• Choose your orders wisely by calculating your costs, including the opportunity cost of your time and efforts.
• Roadie supports and even encourages tipping drivers. Being punctual, proactive, and courteous can encourage customers to tip well and give higher ratings.
• Investing in tools such as a collapsible dolly, car mat, mileage tracker, etc. may not directly increase your earnings, but they can increase professionalism (and make your life a little easier). 
• Roadie runs a driver bonus program and other promotions in select markets. Keep track of when they’re on and aim for the extra income when possible.
• Use our Gridwise driver assistant app to easily track your mileage and save thousands of dollars on tax deductions. Our free app also offers easy-to-understand insights into your earnings and performance across various platforms to help you make data-driven decisions about your earnings. 
• Roadie collaborates with their partners to provide discounts and other benefits to their drivers, so keep an eye out for the ones that fir your business.
• Download our Gridwise app today for access to even more exclusive driver perks

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